be getting tougher for gop challenger mitt romney. first to iowa.presidentobamais49% to mitt romney's 5%. >>> and from the columbia dispatch--this has surrogates from both parties sangled today over who's better equipped to guide the economy over the next four years. >> the president hay has created 4 million new manufacturing jobs. he says he's going to reduce the debt. doesn't say how' goegsing to do it. let's be fair here, governor romney has laid out a vision and a direction for this country. let's hold the president to the same standard as well. >> first of all, we have a deficit plan, it's got health care savings. romney doesn't have a deficit plan. he's got a plan to cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires. he's got a 5 trilli$5 trillion. -- another $2 trillion in defense spending. >> just three days into the first presidential debate, meanwhile mitt romney is off to the trail. we have two reports, we begin with nbc's peter alexander, he's with the romney campaign in boston, with a good morning to you, peter. what are you hearing about all the debate preps today. he o'clock n

" article talking about the debates in which you quote "republican strategists frettingoverobama's recentrise, said the debates could be the last best chance for romney to deliver a decisive blow, change the narrative and steady his campaign." that's quite a tall order, david. sounds like a level of desperation there and desperation then leads to mistakes as we've seen in the past. is that a worry at all for the romney camp? i've heard some analysts say that he needs a hail mary. i mean, is it that dramatic? >> absolutely. the romney camp won't come out and say that. everybody sort of tries to downplay expectations before these things. all eyes are on romney. he's trailing in the polls nationally and in the swing states. he said to his supporters, hey, you know, when i name a running mate and when i'm at my convention you're going to see the bumps. you haven't seen sustained bumps. this is his chance to do it. he's running out of chances. 60 member people could watch these debates. this is a big chance for him. >> the challenger gets a butch just for sharing a stage with the president in

. >>michelleobamaisencouraging young voters to get to the polls. like right now. the first lady spoke to college students in iowa friday, urging them to go into nearby early voting booths to cast their ballots. >> you got a whole month to make it happen. a whole month to vote! as i tell my children, don't procrastinate. no procrastination. make it happen. do it today. >> joining me now, political reporter for "the washington post" felicia somnez and white house correspondent for the hill, amy barnes. good morning. >> good morning. >> so, amy, i'm going to start with you. on libya, earlier this week the president said on "the view" that he thought it was an act of terrorism. why is this being perceived as such a big reversal now? >> well, i think you're seeing them respond to susan rice, as we mentioned before, and other people in the administration who initially blamed the protests and the violence on the video. now they're sort of walking it back that this is a dramatic shift. what remains to be seen is how the administration, and how team obama the campaign will handle this. so far